Child Retracts Sex-assault Claim

The state dropped two sexual battery charges pending against Larry Jackson Thursday, after his 11-year-old accuser told a judge she had lied about him assaulting her.

During an interview with police this summer about the disappearance of her 8- year-old sister, Christy Luna, Allison Luna told police Jackson had had sexual relations with her.

Jackson had lived with the girls` mother in Greenacres City for about seven years until his June 26 arrest on the sexual battery charges.

Allison Luna told Circuit Judge Marvin Mounts Thursday she made the whole story up because she wanted Jackson out of their home.

``I didn`t like him,`` Luna said. ``He`d get drunk and come home and hit on my mom.``

Mounts seemed puzzled by the girl`s actions and asked, ``Why would you tell your mother you had sex with her boyfriend?``

``Because I wanted him gone,`` she replied, flashing a smile at her mother sitting in the courtroom.

``You didn`t think such a statement to your mother would hurt your mother and make her greatly concerned?`` Mounts asked.

The girl shrugged her shoulders.

Police are still investigating her sister`s May 27 disappearance. Christy Luna was last seen outside a convenience store near her home watching other children play with sparklers that Memorial Day weekend.

Allison Luna had been called to the witness stand by Assistant State Attorney Howard Berman, who wanted Mounts to find Jackson guilty of violating the terms of his probation for a 1975 robbery conviction. Besides the sexual battery charges, Berman introduced evidence that Jackson was involved in a drunk and disorderly incident in May.

Jackson faced a maximum 15-year sentence for violating his probation.

On the basis of the drunk and disorderly incident, Mounts found the 29-year- old guilty of violating his probation. But the judge found the sexual battery charges were without merit.

Mounts ordered Jackson to abstain from drinking during the remainder of his probation. The judge did not order Jackson to serve any additional jail time, saying the time he served before being allowed to post $10,000 bond in late August was sufficient punishment.

Following the ruling, Berman told Mounts he was dropping the sexual battery charges.

Jackson showed no emotion upon learning that he was free from the sexual battery charges. However, his defense lawyer, Don Murrell, said later his client was relieved at the news.

Murrell said the charges should have been dropped months ago, after Luna signed an affidavit for investigators in September saying she had lied about the sexual incident.

Murrell said the state apparently wanted to present its evidence to Mounts and see what his reaction would be before abandoning the case.

After the hearing, Berman would not say whether he thought Luna told the truth about Jackson in the beginning, or is telling the truth now.

The girl never gave the state attorney`s office a reason why she was recanting her allegations against Jackson, Berman said.

``People are going to have to read between the lines on that one,`` Berman said.

Jennie Luna, the girls` mother, could not be reached for comment on the case or on her missing daughter after the hearing.

Last month, Greenacres City police detectives traveled to Exeter, N.H., to compare notes with police investigating the similar disappearance of 8-year- old Tammy Belanger, who vanished near her home Nov. 13, Exeter Police Chief Frank Caracciolo said.

New Hampshire police have questioned a 41-year-old convicted sex offender, recently incarcerated for violating his parole, concerning Belanger`s disappearance, according to a copyright article in the Manchester, N.H., Union-Leader.

The suspect has ties to Palm Beach County and had posted bond shortly before Christy Luna disappeared. He had been arrested on charges of prowling in Lake Worth, court records show.

Greenacres City police could not be reached to comment about the charges against Jackson being dropped.